Tube closing system



June 16, 1953 H. KISSLING 2,642,208

TUBE CLOSING SYSTEM Filed July 14. 1949 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Zfi/i 4V i5 I \Z I INVENTOR. 644/141 K/JJZ/A H. KISSL'ING June 16, 1953 TUBE CLOSING SYSTEM Filed July 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 16, 1953 H. KISSLING 2,642,208

TUBE CLOSING SYSTEM Filed July 14. 1949 3 SheetsSheet 5 Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED srArEs PATENT OFFICE Hans Kissling, St. Martin, Switzerland Application July 14, 1949} Serial No. 104,611 In Switzerland July 15, 1948 The present invention relates to closure means in particular adapted for collapsible tubes which have a neck portion with external screw threads. Such neck portion has a central opening for the discharge of the contents of the tube or like receptacle.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to provide means affording closing of a tube of the aforesaid type and sealing the latter "substantially hermetically and in a very quick and eflicient manner.

It is another object of the invention to provide means considerably reducing the manufacturing price of closure means as compared with the conventional closure devices now in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means ensuring interchangeability of heretofore used closure caps with closure means made in accordance with this invention, whereby the usefulness, saleability and safety of collapsible tubes willbe greatly enhanced.

To accomplish these and other objects the closure device according to the invention is provided with an insert, which assumes the shape of a. hollow cylinder which partially protrudes cessively.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter as the description of the invention progresses.

The attached drawings show, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the invention.

- In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the neck of a container or tube with a closing system applied thereto and shown in partly closed position and made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the insert forming part of the closing system shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a" closing system in modified form and seen in closed position similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the insert forming part of the closing system shown in Fig. 3; and

7 Claims. (Cl. 222-521) Figs. 5 and 6 show the closing system of Figs. 1 and 3, respectively, in fully open position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is disclosed the neck of a tube or simi-, lar container I having the outer threads 2| with which is movably engageda cap member 2 having inner threads 9. Cap 2 embraces a fitting or insert member 3 having a portion 4 for the insertion into the neck I of the container.

Cap 2 and insert 3 are preferably made of thermoplastic material, e. g. polystyrene. The fitting or insert 3 includes the lower portion 4 assuming the shape of a hollow cylinder which is held in place in the tube neck I, e. g. by having it introduced in the interior of the neck I whereby the screw threads 2l are tapped on the latter While a mandrel is introduced into the portion 4 of the fitting. An intermediary part5 forming a shoulder or flange rests on the upper or end edge l6 of the tube neck I, the part 5 being further connected to an upper hollow cylindrical portion 6 of larger diameter thanthat of the lower portion 4. Arms I extend from shoulder 5 and portion 6 toward the center of hollow insert 3 and upwardly therewithin and. terminatesin a plug member 8. The aforesaid parts 4 to 8 are made from a single piece of material, as may be visualized from Fig. l of the drawing. 1

On the inside of the closing cap 2 are provided inner threads 9 engaging with slight clearance the threads 2! on the tube neck I, a cylindrical surface I0 adapted to slide with a reduced clearance over the outer surface of the portion 6 of the fitting 3, a conical surface H having an apex angle of about and a central opening l3 defined by the'cylindrical surface [2. l

When closed, the annular narrow portion l4 v of the conical surface ll adjacent to the central opening I 3 cooperates with a narrow corresponding seat surface [5 on the plug 8. Another narrow annular portion I6 of the conical surface ll of the cap, located adjacent to the cylindrical surface l0 cooperates with a narrow seat I! on the end or upper surface of the portion 6- of the fitting 3. Seats l5 and I! are disposed on respective planes different from each other, as the seat I! is shifted somewhat inwardly in a direction perpendicular to the conical surface II by a distance a. whereby when closing the tube orcontainer the annular portion l4 comes immediately into engagement with its seat I 5 and prior to the engagement of annular portion [3 with its corresponding closure seat ll, which latter engagement takes place only after. the cap 2 has been screwed home by a further smaller amount 3 on the neck of the tube I so as to produce a slight elastic deformation of said cap bearing on both seats, The inside of the tube is thus hermetically sealed both with reference to the central opening I3 and to the threads 9. Furthermore, the upper cylindrical .portion I8 of the plug 8 engages the central opening I3 of the cap 2 so as to close it completely and, finally, the top surface I9 of the closing cap 2 and the top surface 20 of the plug 8, i. e. of its upper portion I8, become substantially flush with each other. Thus, any excess of the tube contents may easily be wiped 01f at said flush end surfaces I9, 20. When closing the tube, its contents are urged away'from the surface II] of the cap through the cooperating portion 6 of the fitting, so as to prevent them from reaching the threads 9 and soiling same. Referring now specifically to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown a modified form of the tube closing system according to the present invention, wherein the inclined seats I5, I1 and plug 8 of Figs. 1 and 5 are replaced by cylindrical seats lea, Ha, which are arranged transversely of the plug 8a and engage complementary surfaces Md and [Ba arranged transversely of the cap is, and adjacent the inner and outer ends of the conical wall surface IIa.

It is apparent that this modified closing system of Figs. 3, 4 and 6 operates in a manner similar to that of the device of Figs. 1, 2 and 5, as was previously described in detail.

. The closure seats I5a and Ila of the insert 3a in this latter embodiment cooperate, respectively, with the engageable sealing means or surfaces Ma, IGa which are substantially cylindrical in cross section and are positioned on the inner wall of the cap 2a. The vertical distance between seat I5a and the corresponding sealing surface I 4a, is shorter than the vertical distance between seat Ila and its corresponding sealing surface ISa; this difference being indicated by the letter I) in Fig. 3.

Since the insert 3a is provided with plug 8a, it

is well understood that the latter engages the opening 13a of cap 2a upon engagement of closure seat Isa with its corresponding engageable means Ma and prior to the engagement of the other closur seat Ila with its corresponding engageable' means or surface Illa.

In brief, it may be stated that either of the above described closing devices provides a perfectly tight closure at all points when in closed position, even after long use and without the formation of any corrugations when the tube contains granular material, despite the fact that the closure seats are relatively narrow.

- Uppermost surface 260' of cylindrical. portion IBa of plug 8a is flush with surface I912 of cap 211 in such closed .position.

An absolutely tight and durable closure is atforded by the fact that the screw connections 9, 2i and 9a, 2Ia between the tube neck and the cap are sealed against the tube contents. Thus the possibility is avoided that the contents will dry between the screw threads and would hinder a complete closing of the tube or container. The manufacturing price of the new closing system made in accordance with the invention is not higher than the conventional closure devices heretofore in use. The above advantageous features distinguish the device substantially from all tube or container closing means on the market up to date. A

While several embodiments of the invention are described hereinabove, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the very structure shown and disclosed in the drawings and that modifications and rearrangements of the several parts of which the device consists will fall within the purview of the accompanying claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A closure structure for application to a dispensing container having a neck, comprising a hollow insert for engagement with said neck, said insert being provided with a first closure portion and a second closure portion, respectively, said closure portions being spaced apart from each other, and a cap member embracing said insert and arranged for movement relativeto said neck, said cap member being provided with an inner closing surface, said closing surface terminatingin and defining an opening in said cap member, said closure portions being seated on said insert on different planes so that upon movement of said cap member into one position relative to said neck said first closure portion engages said closing surface prior to the engagement of said second closure portion with said closing surface, said insert being adapted to conduct contents from within said container through said neck for dispensing purpose to said opening of said cap member when the latter is in another position relative to said neck.

2. A closure structure according to claim 1, wherein one of said closure portions of said insert is substantially cylindrical in. cross-section, the other of said closure portions being conically shaped, said closing surface being substantially conical and terminating in a cylindrical part at a location opposite said cylindrical closure portion of said insert.

3. A closure structure for application to a dispensing container having a neck; comprising a hollow insert for position in and engagement with the end of said neck, said insert including a first closure seat portion and a second closure seat portion, respectively, said closure seat portions being spaced apart from each other and arranged on said insert at two different planes, and a hollow cap member for embracing said insert and arranged for movement relative to said neck, said cap member being provided with a dispensing opening and with an inner closing surface extending toward said opening, said closing surface being conical in shape and extending wherein said hollow insert is provided with a plug member disposed centrally of said insert, said plug member being provided with said first closure seat portion, said insert further including a substantially tubular portion terminating in an end bearing said second closure seat portion at a level difierent from that of said first closure seat portion.

5. A closure structure for application to a dispensing container having a neck with a wall movement of said cap member toward said neck for first sealing said opening of said cap member and for then causing said insert to firmly engage with said neck of said container by means 01 said cap member.

6. The combination, in a closure structure for containers, of two telescopically movable hollow members, with spaced apart closure seats arranged on one of said members and in different planes with respect to each other, and engageable means for said closure seats on the other of said members and positioned for successive engagement of said closure seats upon movement of said one member toward the other member, one of said members having an opening for dispensing purposes, the other of said members terminating in a plug insertable in said opening upon engagement of one of said closure seats prior to the engagement of the succeeding seat for sealing said container. 7

7. The combination, in a closure structure for a container having inner and outer walls, of two telescopically movable hollow. members, with spaced apart closure seats arranged in two different planes with respect to each other and surface; comprising a cap member adapted for movably engaging said neck and provided with disposed on one of said members, and engageable means for cooperation with said closure seats, respectively, and positioned on the other of said members, said one member forming an insert provided with a portion adapted to engage with said inner wall of said container, the other member forming a cap constructed for movable engagement with said outer wall of said container and embracing said insert, said closure seats being cylindrical in cross section and being purposes, said insert being provided with a plug insertable in said opening upon engagement of said one closure seat with its corresponding engageable means and prior to the engagement of g the other closure seat with its corresponding en gageable means.

HANS KISSLING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,977,623 Corbin Oct. 23, 1934 2,253,738 Totsching Aug. 26, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 636,805 Germany Oct. 15, 1936 

